July 6, 1907 



HORTICULTURi: 



British Horticulture 



A NOTKD ORCUABDIST 



One of the most interesting collections of orchids near 

 London is to be found in the houses of Mr. J. Gumey 

 Fowler, chairman of the orchid committee of the Eoyal 

 Horticultural Society. The collection of hybrid cattle- 

 yas is extensive and varied, including Laelio-Cattlej^a 

 Woodfordiense, which was raised here. In the East 

 India house there are some excellent vandas and the 

 cypripediums are also very notable, amongst them being 

 one of the finest specimens in England of Eulophia 

 and several rare specimens of E. Petersiana, and Bulbo- 

 phylhim verescens. The odontoiilossum house is of a 

 very elaborate character. The double staging is all 

 teak, and there is ventilation for summer use between 

 the two stages. The sides are built with loose bricks, 

 pigeon-hole fashion, to keep the cold air and dry heat 

 from entering the house direct. Every possible con- 

 trivance for perfecting ventilation and ensuring the 

 temperature reqiiired for the cultivation of cool orchids 

 lias been introduced. The collection is of a costly 

 nature, running into thousands of plants. Amongst the 

 varieties are 0. amabile (Glebeland's variety) for which 

 an award has been received this year, 0. Wilckeanum, 

 0. Ossulstonii, and 0. Eduardii. There are also many 

 good specimens of masdevallias. The gardens have 

 many other attractive features. Here is to be seen the 

 only complete collection of selaginellas, for which a gold 

 medal has been awarded by the Eoyal Horticultural 

 Society. 



GAEDENEKS COMBINE 



The report presented at the annual meeting of the 

 British Gardeners' Association recently gives indication 

 of the steadv progress being made by this organization 

 during the short time it has been in existence. It has 

 about 1,100 members, a capital of nearly £300, and the 

 first. number of the "Journal"' of the Association has 

 just appeared. At the meeting several speakers ex- 

 pressed the opinion that there was a reluctance on the 

 part of many gardeners to join the Association which 

 is regrettable whether it proceeds from apathy or from 

 a fear of employer's displeasure. In these days of keen 

 competition no weapon is more powerful than that of 

 co-operation to ensure justice for the individual, but 

 this combination need never imitate the objectionable 

 features of the trades unions, and resort to strikes when 

 matters of dispute arise between employers and the 

 stafE. The possibilities of the harm which could be 

 achieved amongst . costly horticultural collections if a 

 strike were declared are incalculable. Another inter- 

 esting feature of the discussion was the proposal to in- 

 stitute some examination whereby the professional ex- 

 perience and ability of a man might be tested, as it was 

 felt that inexperienced men calling themselves garden- 

 ers did much harm to the profession, lowering the status 

 and causing considerable loss and annoyance to em- 



ployers. Conducted on sound lines, with a proper rep- 

 resentation of both the private and commercial sections, 

 the association should have an extremely useful career. 



A RHODODENDRON DISPLAY 



This week many visitors have admired the brilliant 

 exhibition of rhododendrons made by Messrs. John 

 Waterer and Sons, Ltd., of Bagshot, Surrey, in the 

 Eoyal Botanic Society's gardens, Eegent's Park. One- 

 third of an acre was enclosed under canvas, about 2,000 

 rhododendrons of various heights being artistically ar- 

 ranged. The varieties represented numbered nearly 

 300, forming a good selection of the many sterling nov- 

 elties which the firm have introduced in recent years. 

 Arranged on undulating ground a pleasing effect was 

 produced by the masses of brilliant tints, forming a 

 splendid object lesson of the excellent displays which 

 can be produced by a judicious arrangement of tints. 

 Judging from the interest taken in the show the rhodo- 

 dendron is retaining its great popularity in this coun- 

 try. The demand is also being kept up, Messrs. Waterer 

 supplying customers in all parts of the empire. The 

 fi.rm have lately executed an order for 20,000 jjlants for 

 shipment to a client near New York, for the fame of 

 Waterer's rhododendrons is well known in the United 

 States. Amongst the varieties shown this week and at 

 the Temple show were the superb Pink Pearl; Strate- 

 gist, rose pink; Duke of Connaught, Duchess of Con- 

 naught, Baroness Henry Schroder, John Waterer, 

 Gomer Waterer. Mrs. Stirling, and others. 



>t)y, C^M^^. 



New Rose Wm. R. Smith 



Wm. E. Smitli is a cross between Kaiserin Augusta 

 Victoria and Maman Cochet ; this rose has every quality 

 necessary for a first rate bedding variety in the open 

 and also has every characteristic of a first-class summer 

 blooming sort for use in the forcing house; it is ex- 

 tremely strong in growth, free in production of canes 

 and foliage and the leafage is so firm and heavy that 

 it resists all the diseases to which the more tender va- 

 rieties are subject. We have never seen it take either 

 black spot or mildew. The only reason of its failure 

 as a winter forcing variety is the extreme fullness of 

 its bloom which in form closely resembles that of Ma- 

 man Cochet, being beautifvdly pointed while in color it 

 is brighter than Golden Gate, being of a deep ivory 

 white overlaid mth a good bright shade of pinlf. We 

 feel absolutely positive that this variety will rank quite 

 up with the Cochets and Kaiserin as a summer bloomer 

 either indoors or out ; it originated with Mr. John Shel- 

 lem of Philadelphia. 



E. G. Hill. 



